The Coral Island
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: N/A
Pages: Good
Markings: Previous owner
A landmark of Victorian adventure fiction, The Coral Island chronicles the story of three young British boys — Ralph, Jack, and Peterkin — who are shipwrecked on a lush, uninhabited Pacific island and must rely on their ingenuity, courage, and camaraderie to survive. Ballantyne presents their island life with vivid enthusiasm, detailing the boys' resourceful efforts to build shelter, find food, and navigate the wonders of their tropical paradise. The tone is spirited and morally earnest, reflecting the Victorian ideals of Christian virtue, British pluck, and the civilizing spirit that defined much of the era's popular literature. As the narrative progresses, the idyllic adventure darkens with the arrival of pirates and warring indigenous tribes, raising the stakes and injecting genuine suspense into the story. First published in 1857, the novel remains a foundational text of the boys' adventure genre and famously served as a direct inspiration for William Golding's Lord of the Flies, which reimagined its premise with far grimmer conclusions about human nature.
Author: R. M. Ballantyne
Format: Hardback
Published: 1977, Purnell
Genre: Adventure fiction
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: N/A
Pages: Good
Markings: Previous owner
A landmark of Victorian adventure fiction, The Coral Island chronicles the story of three young British boys — Ralph, Jack, and Peterkin — who are shipwrecked on a lush, uninhabited Pacific island and must rely on their ingenuity, courage, and camaraderie to survive. Ballantyne presents their island life with vivid enthusiasm, detailing the boys' resourceful efforts to build shelter, find food, and navigate the wonders of their tropical paradise. The tone is spirited and morally earnest, reflecting the Victorian ideals of Christian virtue, British pluck, and the civilizing spirit that defined much of the era's popular literature. As the narrative progresses, the idyllic adventure darkens with the arrival of pirates and warring indigenous tribes, raising the stakes and injecting genuine suspense into the story. First published in 1857, the novel remains a foundational text of the boys' adventure genre and famously served as a direct inspiration for William Golding's Lord of the Flies, which reimagined its premise with far grimmer conclusions about human nature.